Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Pink Parade&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  named ‘Pink Parade,’ having a domed capitulum of deep pink medium sized anemone type flowers and a round shape.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/544,061, filed on Feb. 11, 2004.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Pink Parade.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the variety name ‘Pink Parade.’

‘Pink Parade,’ identified as 30222-0, originated from a cross, made in a controlled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.

The female parent of the new variety is the non United States Patented variety known as ‘Chicane.’ The male parent of the new variety is an undistributed, unpatented seedling identified as ‘30945-0.’ The new variety ‘Pink Parade’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Pink Parade’ is a garden type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having a domed-round canopy of small, pink anemone type flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ are similar to the parent variety ‘Chicane’ in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons 25 in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ differed from plants of the parent variety ‘Chicane’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ produces medium sized pink anemone flowers whereas the parent variety ‘Chicane’ produces small pink single type flowers.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ have larger and longer inflorescence than plants of the parent variety ‘Chicane.’

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ are dissimilar to the parent variety ‘30945-0’ in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ differed from plants of the parent variety ‘30945-0’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ produces medium sized pink anemone type flowers whereas the parent variety ‘30945-0’ produces large deep pink anemone flowers with a large central cushion.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ have smaller and shorter inflorescence than plants of the parent variety ‘30945-0.’

Comparison with the Variety ‘Dove’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ are dissimilar to the variety ‘Dove’ in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety differed from plants of the variety ‘Dove’ in the following characteristics:

1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ produces medium sized pink anemone type flowers whereas plants of the variety ‘Dove’ produce smaller deeper pink single type flowers.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ have smaller and shorter inflorescence than plants of the variety ‘Dove.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ are shown in the accompanying photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Pink Parade’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 63 days from the commencement of planting outdoors in mid-June.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Pink Parade’ is of plants grown outside, natural season, in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom in the month of June. The variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a garden Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 50° F. at night and about 60° F. to 75° during the day under natural light conditions. The plants were grown outdoors in mid-June in 4 liter pots in loamless compost. No growth retardants were used. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is 4 liters (8″). It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 26 days with a response time of about 9 weeks natural season. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of 50° F. to 75° F.

The new variety may be produced as a pot plant. The following description is with respect to a plant produced as a garden pot plant. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

Plant

-   Plant type: Pot. -   Habit: Domed-Round. -   Height: 55 cm-60 cm. -   Width: 55 cm-60 cm. -   Stem:     -   -   Length.—7 cm-9 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm-0.8 cm.         -   Texture.—Slightly Pubescent and Slightly Rough.         -   Color.—near 137A. -   Branching characteristics: Free branching and spreading -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length.—13 cm-17 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm-0.6 cm.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Angle from stem.—20°-25°. -   Number of breaks from pinch: 7-9. -   Response time: 63 days. -   Vigor: Medium/Short. -   Shelf life: near 26 days. -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None     observed to date. -   Growth retardant type and treatment: No treatment necessary The     plants were grown for 9 weeks in natural season conditions. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—12 days with soil temperatures of 70° F.         -   Rooting habit.—Fine and Fibrous.

Foliage

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 8-12. -   Compound or single: Single. -   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate. -   Shape of leaf: Typically 5 lobed ovate. -   Size of leaf: Width: 2.5-3.0 cm Length: 3.5 cm-5.0 cm. -   Leaf apex: Acute. -   Base: Obtuse. -   Attachment: Petioled. -   Aspect: Slightly undulating. -   Margin: Palmately lobed. -   Surface characteristics: Top: Slightly Pubescent Bottom: Slightly     Pubescent. -   Petiole:     -   -   Color.—near 137B.         -   Length.—0.5 cm-0.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm-0.4 cm. -   Venation: Net. Prominent mid vein at underside Color: upper side:     near 138C underside: near 138C. -   Color: Mature Leaf, upper side: near 137B; under side: near 138A     Young Leaf, upper side: near 137B; under side: near 138A.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte. -   Flower type: Anemone. -   Flower form: Flat. -   Flower shape: Round. -   Flowering habit: Cyme. -   Number of blossoms per branch: 7-12. -   Typical and observed flowering season: August and September natural     season. -   Inflorescence form: Corymbiform. -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms: 0.6 cm-0.8 cm. -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms: 3.5 cm-5 cm. -   Anemone center diameter: 0.7 cm-0.8 cm. -   Phyllaries:     -   -   Number.—23-25.         -   Color.—near 138A.         -   Length.—0.3 cm-0.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.1 cm-0.3 cm.         -   Texture/appearance: Slightly shiny and pubescent. -   Peduncle: Peduncle length is shortest at the terminal flower and     progressively longer down the stem; longest length is on average 14     cm, shortest length is on average 10 cm.     -   -   Length.—9 cm-15 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm-0.6 cm.         -   Anglefrom stem.—20°-25°.         -   Color.—near 138B.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly curving.         -   Strength.—Medium. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—terminal: 7 cm-9 cm; lateral: 11 cm-15 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm-0.7 cm.         -   Color.—near 137A.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly curving.         -   Strength.—Medium/Strong. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Straight.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number perflower.—30-35.         -   Length.—1 cm-2 cm; Width: 0.2 cm-0.4 cm.         -   Apex: Round.         -   Base: Tubular.         -   Margin: Entire. -   Disc florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number per flower.—30-150.         -   Length.—0.2 cm-0.3 cm; Width: <0.1 cm-0.1 cm.         -   Diameter of disc.—0.7 cm-0.8 cm. -   Fragrance: Slight. -   Flower Bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length.—0.6 cm-0.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.6 cm-0.8 cm.         -   Form/shape.—Ball shaped. -   General flower color:     -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side: Immature: near 65A Mature: near             65D Older/Fading: near 69A.         -   2. Ray florets, under side: Immature: near 65A Mature: near             65D Older/Fading: near 69A.         -   3. Disc florets: Immature: near 19A Mature: near 19B             Older/Fading: near 19B.         -   4. Bud: near 139C. Flower progression with age; Color fades             and pales uniformly with age. The lastingness of blooms is             about 26 days.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets. Ray florets per     individual flower:     -   -   Pistil number.—20-25 observed.         -   Stigma color.—near 144D.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 144D.         -   Style length.—0.1 cm-0.2 cm. -   Disc florets per individual flower:     -   -   Pistil number.—125-140.         -   Stigma color.—near 144D.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 144D.         -   Style length.—0.2 cm-0.4 cm. -   Androecium present on disc florets only. Disc florets per individual     flower:     -   -   Stamen number.—80-90 observed.         -   Anther shape.—Clubbed.         -   Anther color.—near 14C.         -   Pollen color.—near 12A.         -   Pollen quantity.—Medium. -   Fruit and seeds: None observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 